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THE 


True  Plan  of  Home  Missions. 


A SEKMOX 


IX  BEIIALK'OK  THE 


^mrvican  Itomc  Mlissionaii)  ^ocictu. 


PKEACUED  IN  THE 


BROADM’AY  TABEEXACLE  CHURCH,  NEW  YORK, 

May  4,  1873. 


BY 

THEODORE  D.  WOOLSEY, 

LATELY  PRESIDENT  OF  YALE  COLLEGE. 


XEW  YORK: 

THE  AMERICAN  HOME  MISSIONARA^  SOCIETY. 
1873. 


‘1 


Jl, 


TOBITT  * BUNCE, 
Prtktmw  and  STBinon  PltK'. 
00  Fulton  St.,  N.  Y. 


SK  KM  ON. 


Yea,  woe  is  ento  me.  ik  I pueach  not  the  Gospei,  ! — 1 Corinthians, 
ix.  1(),  last  clause. 

Yea,  so  have  I stkived  to  pheach  the  gospel,  not  wheke  Christ 

WAS  NAMED,  lest  I SHOIT.D  Bl'ILD  PPON  ANOTHER  M.Vn's  FOUND-VTION. 

Romans,  xv.  20. 

In  the  first  of  these  verses  tlie  apostle  says,  that  the 
trust  of  preaching'  the  oiLspel  liad  heen  jmt  into  his  hauils, 
so  that  a woe  would  rest  ou  him  if  he  should  prove  faith- 
less. Ill  the  other  verse  he  tells  us  what  rule  he  observed, 
ill  selectiiur  the  fields  for  his  luissioiiarv  work.  His  plan 
was  not  to  go  to  eities  where  others  had  alri'ady  spread 
the  good  news  of  God,  and  gathered  eoiiverts  togetluu'  in 
Christian  eoiiiiiiuuitie.s,  hut  to  itlaces  whieh  had  lain  out- 
side of  and  beyond  the  gospel’s  luareli.  This  rule  he 
speaks  of  iu  the  words  “yea,  so  have  I striven  to  preaeh,” 
whieh  iu  a more  exact  sense  denote  that  he  eoiisidered  it  a 
point  of  honor  to  preaeh  not  where  Christ  was  aeknowd- 
edged  by  men  as  their  Savior,  but  Avhere,  hitlierto,  the 
news  of  him  had  not  reached.  He  did  not  want  to  inter- 
fere in  the  labors  of  another,  even  though  his  apostolical 
office  might  give  him  such  authority  ; his  delicate  percep- 
tion of  what  Avas  due  towarils  others  made  him  shrink 
from  such  iuirusiou  ; ami  his  zeal  spurred  him  on  still 
westward,  so  as  to  bring  Christ  near  to  new  hearers  in  all 
the  lands  of  the  vast  Eonlan  empire. 

It  seems  to  me  that  these  verses  contain  subject  of 
thought  proper  for  the  managemeut  of  Christian  missions 
iu  our  country.  Especially  ought  the  churches  reiiresented 
in  this  Society  to  feel  that  a w oe  will  rest  upon  them, 
if  they  abate  at  all  in  their  purpose  or  zeal  to  send  the 
gospel  to  destitute  places  beyond  their  own  borders.  And 


4 


iu  doing'  so,  it  becomes  tbem  and  tl  eir  agents  to  iininire 
where  there  is  most  destitution, — not  to  build  on  founda- 
tions already  laid  down,  but  to  build  where  Christ  is  not 
yet  known  ; to  follow  the  apostle  alike  iu  his  feeling  of  re- 
sponsibility, and  his  honorable  determination  not  to  in- 
trude in  any  Avay  into  a field  already  occupied  by  other 
servants  of  Christ. 

I.  And,  first,  a woe  will  rest  upon  us  as  a community  of 
churches,  if  Ave  preach  not  the  gospel  beyond  our  own 
borders.  • There  are  tAvo  great  fields  into  Avhich  all  the  in- 
dications of  duty  call  us— the  foreign  and  the  home  field. 

1 do  not  intend  to  include  the  first  iu  Avhat  I have  to  say 
on  the  present  occasion.  Every  consideration,  Avhich  can 
be  urged  for  preaching  the  gospel  as  a Avork  of  love  to 
mankind  and  of  fidelity  to  Christ,  points  equally  in  both 
directions.  Our  churches  Avere  the  first  on  this  side  of  the 
Avater  that  aAvoke  to  the  faith  that  the  time  was  fully  come 
for  the  unchristianized  Avorld  to  hear,  and  for  us  to  send, 
the  gospel.  The  great  Society  Avhich  Avas  the  offsi>ring  of 
that  faith  is  uoav,  after  more  than  sixty  years,  successfully 
doing  its  Avorhl-Avork  and  sIioavs  no  signs  of  decrepitude, 
but  many  of  vigorous  manhood.  There  can  be  no  jar  or 
jealousy  betAveen  the  tAvo  great  organizations  sustained  by 
our  churches.  Every  ucav  center  of  religious  light  planted 
by  the  Home  Missionary  Society  is  to  be  a place  of  prayer 
and  a source  of  supply  for  the  heathen.  If  Congregation- 
alists  lose  their  faith  that  Christianity  is  the  destined  re- 
ligion of  mankind,  they  must  lose  also  their  faith  that  the 
new  parts  of  this  country  can  become  parts  of  a strong 
Christian  commonAvealth.  If  Ave  Avere  to  pour  all  our 
money  into  one  treasury  and  send  it  to  the  feeble  churches 
at  home,  letting  the  foreign  missions  Avither  and  die,  such 
a step  Avould  ere  long  crii)i)le  the  resources  of  the  Home 
Mi.ssionary  Society  itself.  Whatever  Ave  .say,  therefore,  of 
one  part  of  this  great  subject  Avill  apply  to  the  other. 

Noav  Avithin  the  held  Avhich  our  oavu  land  offers,  we  are 
called  on  as  a community  of  churches  to  make  the  gospel 


known,  and  a woe  will  rest  on  us,  as  a denomination,  if  we 
obey  not  the  call.  This  will  appear,  first : if  we  consider 
that  such  missions  are  necessary,  and  especially  so  in  our 
circumstances, /or  the  proper  balance  and  un  foldinp  of  relig- 
ions character. 

If  Paul,  when  he  had  believed  in  ('hrist,  had  not  been 
exi>lieitly  called  by  the  Spirit  to  preach  to  the  (lentiles,  if 
he  had  asked  counsel  only  of  the  monitor  within,  with 
no  expn'ss  directions  of  his  Lord,  his  path  of  duty,  as  we 
look  on  him,  as  a man  and  a convert,  would  seem  to  have 
been  perfectly  plain.  Supi)ose  he  had  trie<l  to  live  in  soli- 
tary contemplation  for  years,  supporting’  his  soul  on  the 
delicious  joys  and  elevating  tlioughts  of  his  new  hope, 
how  long  coidd  such  a kind  of  religious  life  have  given 
him  satisfaction  V Even  if  he  could  have  avoided  taking 
the  (piestion  of  duty  into  his  mind,  would  not  the  instinct- 
ive feelings  of  his  nature  have  taught  him  that  a man, 
ushered  as  he  was  in  a marvelous  way  into  the  knowledge 
of  the  gospel,  was  not  his  own  but  Christ’s,  and  that  this 
change,  if  nothing  else,  qualified  him,  with  his  talents  and 
learning,  to  go  to  Jew  and  Gentile  and  tell  them  in  whom 
he  believe<l  and  why  he  believed  If  he  had  chosen  any 
other  course,  it  would  have  told  upon  his  Christian  life 
through  inetiiciency,  through  scei)tical  doubts,  through  a 
loss  of  personal  comfort.  So  it  is  with  every  Christian. 
If  the  active  principles  do  not  go  along  at  ecpial  pace  with 
the  convictions  of  the  soul,  there  will  result  a one-sided, 
self-centered  character,  an  incapacity  to  understand  the 
gospel  in  its  compass  and  greatness,  a stunted  growth  of 
the  highest  Christian  qualification,  a proportionate  want 
of  ])eace  and  joy.  So  it  is  also  with  a church  and  a bodg  of 
churches.  It  may  be,  indeed,  that  a country  or  an  age  is 
not  in  a condition  to  undertake  large  works  of  good  in  re- 
mote, untilled  fields  ; it  may  be  that  political  forms  cripi»Ie 
the  energies  of  a people,  so  that  the  man  or  the  church 
has  no  consciousness  of  strength  equal  to  the  needs  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  in  the  world  ; although  even  then  how 
many  works  of  mercy  and  i)urifving  influence  might  be 


G 


done  ’wliicli  Avonld  prepare  for  more  favorable  times  and 
more  (lifficiilt  or  distant  labors!  But  our  circumstances 
are  far  different  from  all  this.  Unbounded  liberty  of  move- 
ment, ceaseless  calls  for  help,  a limitless  spread  of  popula- 
tion, resources  in  the  old  States  ade(piate  to  vastly  more 
than  lias  been  undertaken  by  any  body  of  Christians,  all 
these  and  other  loud  voices  at  once  summon  us  to  a great, 
earnest  work  of  good,  and  tell  us  that  there  will  be  woe  to 
us  if  we  preach  not  the  gospel.  It  is  said  that  weak 
churches  in  the  old  States,  churches  growing  weaker,  be- 
cause the  strong  and  the  young  go  off  into  newer  homes,  \ 

demand  our  first  care.  So  perhaps  they  do,  and  this  is  an 
important  part  of  the  work  of  this  Society  and  of  its 
Auxiliaries.  If  the  burden  of  such  churches  is  all  our 
shoulders  can  carry,  well  and  good.  But  let  us  remember 
that  we  in  our  individual  churches  must  grow  by  the  diffu- 
sive power  of  our  life  and  activity.  The  concentrated 
power  is  not  enough  for  ourseh  es  or  for  the  world.  We 
may  depend  upon  it  that  the  Christian  spirit  was  never 
quenched  by  feeling  the  claims  on  us  of  those  for  whom 
Christ  died.  We  must  not,  indeed,  let  our  spirit  evaporate 
in  benevolent  undertakings  carried  on  by  others,  we 
must  not  feel  that  if  we  give  a tithe  of  all  we  have  to  re- 
ligious movement,  we  are  doing  all  we  ought.  That  wovdd 
be  fatal.  But  on  the  other  hand  it  would  be  fatal  to  our 
growth  as  persons,  and  as  churches,  if  we  contented  our-  ^ 

selves  with  going  on  the  way  to  heaven  ourselves  in  all 
quiet,  and  putting  forth  no  endeavors  for  that  spread  of 
Christ’s  kingdom  Avhich  is  precious  in  his  eyes.  Keep  up 
the  proi)ortion  of  the  two  sides  of  character  and  you  in- 
sure the  steady,  even  growth  in  goodness  of  all  churches 
which  partake  in  the  movement. 

But,  (Kjain  : the  common  interest  of  our  churches  in  so 
noble  a work  as  that  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society,  is  a 
bond  of  fraiernily  between  them. 

There  is  eminent  need  of  such  bonds  among  ('ongrega- 
tionalists,  because  our  essence  consists  in  the  in(lei)endenc  e 
of  the  local  church.  lUit  indei)endence,  with  all  its  advan- 


ta<>'os,  will  be  I'nll  of  evils,  if  some  spiritual  union  do  not 
brill”’  together  those  whose  rights  keep  them  apart.  If  we 
in  all  our  ehiirches  adhere  to  the  rigid  notion  of  indepeiid- 
eney,  we  have  a denomination  of  sejiarate  atoms  without 
(loiiits  of  contact,  isolated  and  devoid  of  mntnal  symiiathy. 
If  the  spirit  of  brotherhood  moves  among  those  atoms  so 
far  that  we  seek  and  resiiect  each  other’s  advice,  that  is 
well,  it  is  (diristian  ; but  how  occasional,  how  exceptional, 
such  times  of  mntnal  helpfulness  are,  I need  not  point  out. 
If  we  go  yet  further  and  set  up  Conferences  of  churches, 
in  which  the  lay  element  takes  its  aiiprojiriate  [lart,  that  is 
a step  farther  towards  good,  and  it  angnrs  well  for  the 
future  that  of  late  this  truly  religions  and  fraternal  inter- 
course is  encouraged  and  has  spread.  We  may  go  farther 
still,  and  gather  ministers  and  delegates  in  imposing  trien- 
nial Councils,  bringing  East  ami  West  together,  and  show- 
ing to  the  other  bodies  of  Christians  that  we  have  some 
instinct  or  tendency  towards  organization.  lint  what  can 
such  bodies  do?  If  they  make  creeds  or  canons,  no  one  is 
bound  by  them  ; to  obey  them  as  coming  from  a church 
authority,  would  be  to  renounce  the  principles  of  Congre- 
gationalism ; to  issue  them  under  the  sanction  of  the 
opinions  of  the  wisest  men  of  the  denomination,  would  be 
to  give  advice  on  which  religions  newspapers  and  reviews 
would  sit  in  judgment,  and  by  which  no  single  church 
would  be  bound.  They  might,  in  fact,  can.se  division  of 
feeling  and  judgment  between  tho.se  who  dread  authority 
and  those  who  want  more  union. 

But  there  is  a more  excellent  bond  between  the 
churches,  which  indeed  requires  a high  state  of  religion 
that  its  uniting  power  may  have  its  perfect  work,  but 
which,  in  all  the  changing  conditions  of  practical  religion, 
cannot  but  be  fraught  with  good.  That  bond  and  sense  of 
brotherhood  arises,  when  the  churches  keep  in  view  to- 
gether one  great  province  or  department  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  ; when  their  hearts  beat  and  their  prayers  arise 
together  for  its  success ; when  their  gifts  flow  together  in 
one  common  channel ; and  reports  from  the  sons  whom 


8 


they  send  forth  come  hack  to  gladden  and  encourage  them 
all ! — then  it  is  tliat  they  are  conscious  that  they  are  one 
body.  Such  joint  spiritual  movement  for  a specific  object 
helps  them  to  throw  off  their  sense  of  isolation  and  to  re- 
cognize the  community  of  churches  so  co-operating,  as  a 
great  fraternity  who  are  bound  by  a common  tie  of  hopes, 
aim  and  efforts,  all  centering  on  one  great  work  approved 
by  the  common  Savior.  Xo  single  member  of  a commu- 
nity of  churches  ever  stood  alone,  trusting  in  the  spirit 
within,  as  sufficient  for  the  complete  unfolding  of  charac- 
ter, without  suffering  loss.  It  became  conceited,  or  one- 
sided, or  stagnant.  But  in  such  association,  he  who  gives 
receives  back  more.  The  intelligence,  the  feeling  of 
strength,  the  activity  of  benevolence,  the  discipline  of 
judgment,  the  sense  of  unity,  are  so  many  rewards,  which 
bear  the  fruit  of  religious  i>rosperity  for  the  future.  That 
body  of  Christians  which  in  the  pure  spirit  of  the  gospel 
blesses  them  that  are  without  is  blessed  within  ; it  loses 
nothing,  it  gains  everything. 

I add  here  that,  if  the  churches  of  our  order  should 
grow  cold  in  the  work  of  Home  Missions,  or  abridge  their 
efforts,  their  past  history  would  rehulce  them  ; they  would  ah- 
jure  their  old  character.  Ours  is  an  honorable  record,  at 
least  if  measured  by  the  efforts  and  zeal  of  other  branches 
of  the  Christian  body.  I will  not  go  back  to  the  times 
when  the  “apostle  to  the  Indians,”  only  twenty-five  years 
after  the  first  settlement  of  New  England,  showed  the 
Christian  love  of  the  eolonists  at  the  era  of  their  poverty 
and  their  precarious  existence,  nor  will  I stop  to  speak  of 
other  missio<is  of  an  early  day.  For  Western  Home  Mis- 
sions, in  their  proper  sense,  there  was  no  opi)ortunity  until 
the  latter  j)art  of  the  last  century.  It  is  a thing  to  think 
of  with  joy  that,  in  1774,  the  General  Association  of  Con- 
necticut took  measures  for  sending  missionaries  “to  the 
back  settlements  in  the  wilderness  to  the  north-westward,” 
— I use  their  words  which  i)oint  towards  western  Vermont 
and  i)art  of  northern  New  York.  Then  came  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  with  its  burdens  and  its  drains  of  men  for  the 


service,  and  its  fears  of  liostile  Indians  ; bnt  in  1788  the 
subject  was  resinned;  and  in  17!)8  steps  were  taken  to  or- 
pinize  the  Cfeneral  Association  into  a missionary  society, 
whose  objects  were  “to  cliristianize  the  heathen  in  North 
America,  and  to  snpixnt  and  promote  (dnis'ian  knowled.u:e 
in  the  United  States.”  For  the  Indians  at  the  West  little 
was  ilone,  bnt  the  work  amon»-  the  emigrants  was  i;reat 
and  timely.  The  ‘>ospel  was  preached  to  them  at  a time 
when  the  e.xistenee  of  relij*io;i  amon^i'  their  settlements 
was  at  stake  ; and  the  laborers  sent  ont  into  this  vineyard 
by  the  Connecticut  Society  “ were  one  of  the  leadinj*'  in- 
struments in  the  land  for  spreading;  and  secnrin»'  the  sway 
of  religion.”  The  mode  of  conducting'  the  missions  was 
singnlarl}'  ])rimitive— if  I may  so  say,  apostolical,  'riierc 
were  two  descriptions  of  missionaries — those  who  went 
forth  to  make  the  new  regions  their  homes,  and  settled 
ministers  of  the  State  who  gave  themselves  for  four  or  six 
months  to  this  vocation,  receiving  at  one  time  nine  dollars 
a week,  of  which  four  were  jiaid  to  their  siibstitnU^s  in 
their  own  jiarishes,  and  five  were  kept  for  themselves  and 
their  horses,  as  they  traveled  through  the  wilderness.  For 
they  were  not  stationary ; they  spread  the  good  news  of 
(iod  from  place  to  place  ; they  encouraged  the  Christian 
people  who  had  gone  forth  in  their  jioverty  from  the  East- 
ern homes  ; they  gave  a word  of  warning  to  men  in  their 
sins  and  passed  on,  that  as  many  as  possible  might 
be  reached  by  their  preachings.  The  resources  for  this 
work  were  drawn  from  annual  contributions  made  princi- 
pally on  the  tirst  Sunday  of  INIay,  and  from  the  [irotits  of 
the  “Evangelical  Magazine.”  — sources  which  together 
yielded  in  the  end  a fund  of  844,000,  which  is  still  preserved 
and  aids  in  the  support  of  eight  or  ten  missionaries  in  the 
Western  States., 

I rejoice  to  be  able  to  add  that  there  was  no  spirit  of  the 
denomination  in  all  this.  The  churches  founded  by  these 
early  missions  were  left  under  the  sway  of  Presbyterianism 
by  the  “plan  of  union,”  and  thus,  in  the  event,  that  pow- 
erful body  of  Christians  was  spread,  by  the  liberal  unsec- 


10 


tariaii  feelings  of  Coiigregationalists,  among  descendants 
of  fNew  Englanders  and  members  of  Congregational 
churcbes. 

At  length  this  Society  was  organized,  with  Avider  aims 
and  a larger  constituency,  uniting  the  two  religious  bodies 
of  AA'hich  I have  just  spoken.  It  adopted  as  its  Auxiliaries 
the  Home  Missionary  Societies  in  Ncav  England,  and  the 
union  Avas  long,  peaceful  and  happy.  It  AAas  honorable  for 
both  denominations  that  they  could  Avork  together  Avith  so 
little  jarring  and  jealousy ; that  they  could  cast  their 
money  into  a common  treasury,  uncertain  Avhether  the  \ 

government  by  the  single  churches  or  the  goverument  by 
sessions  and  presbyteries  Avould  be  the  result  of  the  joint 
action.  At  length  a dark  time  came ; theological  fears 
and  theological  freedom  could  not  act  together  ; the  plan 
of  union  Avas  broken  up  ; the  great  denomination  itself, 

Avhicli  had  tAvo  forms  of  thought  Avithin  its  boundaries,  suf- 
fered a disruption.  The  result  Avas  to  intensify  the  denom- 
inational feeling  ; jealousies  arose  betAveen  the  Congrega- 
tionalists  and  the  members  of  that  Presbyterian  body 
Avhich  still  supported  the  American  Home  ^Missionary  So- 
ciety ; the  latter  preferred  to  carry  on  their  Avork  of 
eA^angelization  by  ecclesiastical  boards  ; and  thus  this  So- 
ciety became  a Cougregationalist  organ,  in  regard  to  Avliich, 
thenceforAvard,  the  question  Avas  not  that  of  disbursing 
contributions,  in  an  ecpiitable  division,  among  the  mission-  ^ 

aries  of  tAvo  constituencies,  but  that  of  doing  the  more 
good,  if  i)ossible,  by  dividing  the  Avork.  And  so,  if  there 
is  anything  of  responsibility  arising  from  the  fact  that 
this  Society  is  left  to  our  Congregational  churches,  like  a 
Ijiece  of  i)roperty  in  the  partition  of  an  estate,  it  has  be- 
come exclusively  their  Society — it  isiu  an  important  sense 
their  inheritance.  If  there  is  anything. of  stimulus  iu 
having  a specific  AVork,  a field  Avith  definite  boundarie.s,  this 
is  their  field.  If  there  is  anything  in  ancestral  example  to 
aAvaken  interest  and  to  act  on  the  sense  of  Chrisfian  honor, 

Ave  have  a charge  and  a trust  put  into  our  hands  for  the 
beiu'fit  of  those  same  regions  for  Avhich  our  predecessors 


11 


\vork(‘(l  iuid  pviiycd,  \v1k*m  tlu*y  stMit  tlii'ir  sons  to  snbdue 
the  Idivst,  blit  would  not  lot  tlioin  go  without  tin*  'gosiiol. 

And  this  loniiirk  lends  us  tosaythiit  a woe  will  rest  on 
tin*  elmrehes  represiMited  in  tliis  Society,  if  they  do  not  pro- 
vide /or  the  scants  of  the  emiyrnntH  from  their  borders  who 
hare  soiiyht  new  homes  in  the  ITcs/.  I do  not  ini“an  that  these 
should  be  our  only  care,  but  that  every  consideration  of 
(’hristian  wisdom  and  (’hristian  feeling-  ought  to  bring 
these  brethren  aceording  to  thellesh  before  our  minds,  just 
as  the  apostle  Paul  preached  lirst  to  the  dews  in  his  jour- 
neyings,  and  then  to  the  (lentiles.  To  leave  a ('hristian 
home  as  many  of  these  emigrants  do  ; to  lose  the  social 
orderly  intluenees  of  a Christian  parish  ; to  go  where  set- 
tlements are  made  and  townshii»s  tilled  up,  not  on  any 
principle  of  atlinity,  but  as  it  may  happen  ; to  tind  one’s 
self  in  a place  where  there  can  be  no  church  because  there 
are  so  many  sects,  and  no  harmony,  because  there  is  so 
much  self-will  ; tube  iilaced  near  broken-down  Christian 
l»rofessors  who  once  held  their  own  in  a poor  way  where 
religion  was  popular,  and  now  under  the  shadow' of  tempta- 
tion have  lost  all  [irinciple,  perhaps  all  faith,  and  have 
learned  to  neglect  institutions,  to  make  light  of  religion, 
to  desiiise  their  godly  forefathers— such  fearful  risks  follow 
the  adventurous  children  of  the  older  States,  as  they  go, 
they  know  not  whither  or  among  whom.  Young  men  as 
they  leave  college  life  are  often  told  that  now,  with  almost 
entire  independence,  they  are  going  forth  into  untried 
scenes,  in  which  their  principles  will  be  proved  and  as- 
sailed. But  such  new  comers  into  society  have  for  the 
most  part  ]>rinciples  of  order ; they  live  under  the  eye  of 
a jiublic  opiuion  wdiich  they  fear  nr  from  w'hich  they  hope; 
they  have  a multitude  of  good  influences  around  them. 
And  yet  they  often  yield  to  evil  and  destroy  their  charac- 
ters. How'  much  more  are  they  put  into  a crucible  and 
tried  as  by  tire,  Avho  Avith  less  experience  and  less  security 
in  themseh’es  against  corruption,  meet  corruption  in  its 
AAOrst  forms  Avith  feAV  or  no  helps  against  it.  .Vnd  Avhat 
Avill  the  next  generation  do,  the  little  ones,  who  remember 


12 


no  house  of  prayer,  no  i^ood  lives  of  the  old  home,  who  are 
trained*  up  in  practical  heathenism  ? Such  is  a feebly 
drawn  picture  of  what  often  happens,  of  what  would  of 
course  happen,  if  the  benevolent  <jnidance  of  Christian 
love  took  them  not  by  the  hand,  and  led  them  where  they 
would  be  safe, — or  rather,  went  not  before  them,  keeping" 
dangers  to  the  soul  out  of  their  way,  and  giving  them  a 
kind  reception  at  their  journey’s  end.  Is  it  not  obvious 
then  that  the  older  parts  of  the  land  stand  towards  the 
newer  as  parents  towards  children  "?  Will  there  not  be  a 
woe  on  the  churches  represented  here,  if  they  resemble  the 
ostrich,  “which  leaveth  her  eggs  in  the  earth,”  “and  for- 
getteth  that  the  foot  may  crush  them,  or  that  the  wild 
beast  may  break  them,”  which  “ is  hardened  against  her 
young  ones  as  though  they  Avere  not  hers,”  “because  Cod 
hath  deprived  her  of  wisdom  ” "? 

As  long  as  emigration  shall  continue  from  the  Eastern 
Congregational  churches,  so  long  our  held  is  marked  out 
for  us,  as  by  a guide-post  set  up  by  the  divine  hand.  We 
are  guardians  for  our  relatives  and  friends,  until  they  are 
rich  enough,  and  have  power  of  combination  enongh,  to 
provide  for  their  own  spiritual  wants.  rerh;ii)s  a time 
may  come  Avhen  what  we  call  the  West  may  have  the 
energy,  the  ability,  the  religious  strength  to  ])reside  over 
and  to  give  security  for  the  laying  of  the  foundations  of 
Christian  life  in  the  great  regions  yet  to  be  peopled. 
When  that  time  shall  come,  onr  j)art  will  be  a secondary 
one  in  this  our  work  of  evangelization,  and  we  may  turn 
our  benevolent  thonght,  our  effort,  our  liberality,  into 
other  channels.  But  as  yet  we  have  a i)rincipal  part  to 
act.  It  would  be  as  great  a crime  to  stop  the  work  of  the 
churches  in  thi  < direction  now,  as  it  wonld  have  been  to 
neglect  or  decline  it  at  first.  The  fichdity  of  the  past 
makes  it  easier  and  more  hopeful  now  : the  fidelity  of  the 
present  and  of  the  near  future  will  facilitate  it  still  more. 
At  length  those  districts,  into  which  the  children  of  our 
churches  nave  gone,  will  reach  a full  majority.  l\Iay  they 
have  more  will,  as  they  may  have  better  opportunity,  to 


extend  the  w.-rk  tliuii  their  fathers  had,  or  tlie  Societies 
liad,  which  tlieir  fathers  originated. 

But  still  another  important  consideration  shows  that  a 
woe  w ill  rest  on  the  churches  represented  here,  if  they  are 
slack  and  heartless  in  this  tiehl  of  Home  ^Missions.  By  so 
doing-  they  icill  fail  to  apply  the  great  remedy  to  the  existing 
and  impending  evds  of  the  country.  Our  i)olitieal  evils  are 
to  be  mainly  removed  by  leavening  the  land  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  uprightness  taught  by  the  gospel.  The  relations 
between  the  political  morals  of  a country  and  its  religious 
welfare  are  very  intimate, — far  more  so  than  (hey  have 
imagined  who  have  been  content  to  stand  aloof  from  polit- 
ical life  and  to  save  themselres  by  faith  in  Christ.  There 
is  no  possible  separation  between  the  great  causes  that 
shape  the  character  and  determine  the  destiny  of  any 
land  ; and  above  all  of  a free  country,  w here  political  duty 
knocks  at  every  man’s  door,  and  political  immorality  cor- 
rupts every  i>arty,  yes,  and  every  voter,  unless  he  resists 
its  influence.  For  a free  country  is  the  soil  where  the 
seeds  of  good  and  evil  sow  themselves  most  rapidly  and 
most  widely.  How  religion  must  sutfer,  when  men  vote 
for  bad  men,  and  defend  bad  measures  of  their  party,  and 
make  compromises  with  evil,  and  are  on  terms  of  friend- 
ship with  the  dishonorable  and  the  time-serving,  it  is  need- 
less that  I should  show.  Is  it  not  evident  that  freedom 
cannot  take  care  of  itself,  and  that,  when  corrupt,  its  ten- 
dency is  to  corrupt  religion  and  morals,  to  divorce  religion 
from  morals,  to  give  to  the  world  examples  of  Christians 
in  high  places  that  lose  their  honor  and  their  truth.  We 
have  a painful  experience  at  present, — a more  painful  one 
than  has  ever  fallen  to  the  lot  of  the  United  States,  or  of 
the  Colonies  out  of  whicli  the  great  Republic  grew.  We 
thought,  when  the  late  war  was  over,  that  the  path  of  peace 
would  be  smooth  and  upright  and  upward.  The  war  was 
no  plaything,  handled  with  frivolity  and  sport,  but  prayers 
earnest,  continual,  accompanied  it  on  its  course  ; and  en- 
nobling self-sacritices  were  endured,  and  burdens  were 
borne,  and  every  lofty  sentiment  was  excited  that  lifts 


14 


men  out  of  their  wonted  dull  vulg<ar  life.  All  .shared  the 
emotion.  Bad  men  felt  that  God  Avas  nigh.  Good  men 
steeled  their  faith  and  their  j)rincii)les  in  the  heat  of  the 
tribulation.  Was  it  possible  that  there  should  not  be  an 
era  better  than  any  before  since  Ave  called  ourseh’es  one 
people  ? But  only  twice  the  years  of  the  war  haA^e  elapsed 
since  its  close,  and  AAdiere  are  wa  noAv  y Can  aa'c  tra\"el  back 
OA^er  these  years  of  peace,  or  take  account  of  the  present 
condition  of  the  land  Avithout  i)rofound  shame  V Perhaps 
Ave  may  explain  to  ourselA’cs  the  causes  of  this  degeneracy, 
and  perhaps  not.  But  Avhatever  they  liaA'e  been,  is  there 
nothing  sad  in  the  apparent  loss  of  the  nobility  of  national 
character  AAdiich  the  AA'ar  fostered  ? Is  there  nothing  dan- 
gerous, nothing  frightful,  in  the  decay  of  the  honor  and 
truth  of  ])ublic  men,  Avho  luiA^e  carried  the  banners  of  ])ar- 
ties  and  told  the  peoi)le  Avhat  they  ought  to  do  ? Is  there 
nothing  alarming  in  the  general  Avant  of  confidence  in  the 
hiAA'-makers  and  judges  and  executive  officers,  nothing  de- 
moralizing in  the  indiscriminate  charges  against  them, 
Avhicli  bring  the  bad  and  good  doAvn  to  one  IcA'cl,  and  make 
the  unreflecting  think  that  all  men  have  their  price?  And 
what  is  to  be  the  result  of  the  cupidity,  the  impatience  to 
be  rich,  the  speculations,  the  combinations  of  speculators, 
the  unrighteous  influences  on  goA’ernments  and  legislators, 
Avhich  leak  out  all  the  Avhile,  as  if  the  vats  of  secret  ini<piity 
were  full  even  to  bursting.  Men  talk  of  (hingers  from  the 
operative  class,  but  there  is  no  real  permanent  danger, 
Avhen  the  class  of  employers  and  the  class  of  educated 
men  have  sound  thoughts  and  ])rinciples  of  ui)rightness. 
Social  institutions  cannot  topple  oA'cr,  they  cannot  be  uu- 
dernnned,  if  there  is  moral  health,  energy,  a fear  of  God, 
in  those  Avho  should  be  supports  of  order  and  righteous- 
ness. If,  indeed,  those  signs  of  eA'il  Avhich  grow  out  of  an 
ill-adjusted  financial  system  stood  alone,  av(‘  might  hope  for 
a cure  from  sonu*  local  and  partial  remedy  ; but  Avhen  Ave 
see  the  decay  of  character,  the  decay  of  family  feeling  and 
of  family  purity  going  on  at  an  c(pial  pace  ; when  avc  see 
that  crimes  of  violence  and  crimes  of  fraud  keep  company  ; 


If) 


when  \v(>  see  (‘vidences  of  untlirift.  (‘xhava^aiice,  love  of 
show,  ac(*mmilatin^>-  from  yt*ar  to  year  ; w(*  may  well  ask 
what  is  to  he  the  eiul  of  these  things  ? 

“ Can  such  tilings  be. 

And  overcome  us,  like  a summer's  cloud, 

Without  our  special  wonder.” 

Hut  it  is  ttsked  what  luis  religion,  wlait  have  missions 
to  do  with  all  tliis  i Why  not  keei>  your  own  hearts  pure 
and  yonr  lives  pure,  and  shine  upon  all  this  evil  with  tt  .se- 
rene healthy  intluenet*  ? Why  not  send  yonr  mi.ssionaries 
to  those  that  need  tlunn,  iiml  let  the  evils  of  the  htn.d  work 
ont  their  own  cure ? The  plain  answer  is  that  social  cor- 
ruptions act  upon  individuals,  even  upon  individmil  (’hris- 
tiiins;  tluit  when  the  wei<>ht  of  exitmple  ;ind  power  is  on 
the  wronn'  sidti,  the  hennmhinir  iiiHiieiiee  is  felt  in  ev(>ry 
lon-hons(‘,  on  every  farm  of  a free  country  ; so  that  it  is 
harder  to  keep  before  the  souls  of  ludievers  a Christlik(^ 
standard,  and  harder  to  make  men  believe  that  religion  is 
a reality,  and  harder  to  reclaim  men  from  a covetous, 
worldly  life.  If  you  could  keep  out  examples  of  political 
men  bribing  and  receiving  bribes,  of  men  growing  rich  by 
cheating  their  neighbors,  of  dislionest  combinations  to 
plunder  large  cities,  of  adulteries,  murders  and  divorce.s, — 
if  you  could  keep  the  knowledge  of  such  things  out  from 
^he  still  valleys  and  lonely  streams  where  villagers  gather 
to  hear  the  preacher  and  sing  hymns  to  C'hrist,  well  and 
good  ; religion  might  then  go  on  its  way  making  its  con- 
verts, building  its  churches,  purifying  and  fortifying  its 
disciples,  before  the  corruptions  from  afar  and  from  the 
high  places  could  invade  these  abodes  of  peace.  But  evil 
examples  move  in  a free  country  with  a free  press  and  free 
movement  of  travel,  as  fast  as  good  ones,  and  there  is  no 
exclusive  ])roviuce  of  sobriety,  good  order  and  integrity. 
The  West  then,  in  fact  all  the  field  where  our  work  lies, 
is  ecpially  open  to  evil  with  the  ohler  States.  The  new 
State  of  Kansas  certainly  .shows  that  righteousness  and 
truth  have  not  there  the  exclusive  possession. 


J6 


What  we  need  then  to  do  through  our  missions  is  not 
simply  to  earry  men  through  a process  of  conversion,  and 
set  up  Sunday  schools  and  prayer  meetings  and  temper- 
ance societies  ; — something  more  is  wanted  to  correct  evil 
and  to  keep  down  evil.  It  is  to  raise  the  standard  of  a 
Christian  life,  to  imbue  the  people  with  the  conviction 
that  a disciple  of  Christ  must  be  a man  who  abhors  evil, 
who  has  not  merely  that  side  of  Christ  in  his  character 
which  turned  with  pity  on  the  erring,  but  that  side  also 
which  turned  with  indignation  on  the  Pharisees  who  were 
covetous  and  false.  Our  missionaries  ought,  iu  order  to  be 
equal  to  the  wants  of  the  time,  to  have  something  of  the 
old  Hebrew  prophets  in  them.  There  must  be  more  of 
sternness  in  the  character  of  our  religion  itself.  We  must 
feel  that  he  who  loves  God  hates  siu,  and  that  the  love  and 
the  hatred  are  proportionate.  There  is  much  iu  the  charac- 
ter and  life  of  those  who  are  reached  by  our  missions,  espec- 
ially in  the  West,  to  encourage  the  hope  that  they  may  be- 
come a principal  support  of  truth  and  righteousness  in  the 
country.  They  are  placed  in  that  condition  iu  which  men 
see  that  labor  is  the  soiu’ce  of  all  production  ; they  are 
likely  to  have  simple  tastes  ; they  are  independent  and 
manly.  Our  farmers  in  the  West  were  saviors  of  the  laud, 
more  than  any  other  class,  in  the  late  war.  If  they  can  be 
thoroughly  christianized,  with  their  courage,  manliness 
and  honesty  they  may  act  an  ecpially  important  part  in  pu- 
rifying polities  and  social  life,  and  then  iu  freeing  the  re- 
ligious char.acter  of  the  land  from  contamination.  I 
hope  to  hear  loud  voices  from  them,  which  will  make  men 
of  evil,  East  and  West,  quail : ‘ We  abhor  you,  ye  political 
corruptionists,  ye  men  of  bribes,  ye  managers  of  parties, 
who  want  to  see  knavery  in  high  places  of  trust  that  you 
may  be  respectable.  We  can  stand  changes  of  parly,  but 
we  cannot  stand  falsehood  and  want  of  principle.  Wo 
must  have  good  men  for  our  leaders,  or  we  will  overturn 
all  existing  parties,  and  consign  you  to  your  approi>riate 
disgrace,” 


17 


II.  Bat  we  turn  from  these  aspects  of  our  subject,  to 
look  for  a mouient  at  the  sin^'le  point  wliich  remains.  The 
apostle  strove  to  preach  Christ  where  he  was  not  known 
he  wished  to  build  not  on  another's  foundation,  but  to  lay 
his  edilice  ui)ou  new  ground.  In  so  doing  lie  might  leave 
errors  behind  him.  Jewish  teachers,  enlightened  only  in 
part,  might  follow  in  his  steps  to  si)oil  what  he  had  begnn 
so  well.  It  conld  not  be  expected  that  his  heathen  con- 
verts would  all  at  once  nnderstand  what  wa«  the  true 
liberty  or  the  true  morality  of  the  new  religion.  ]\Iight  it 
not  be  suid  that  a community  thoroughly  christianized, — 
as  for  instance  at  Corinth  and  Ephesus,  might  do  ten  times 
the  good  that  conld  be  done  by  an  unintelligent,  nnre- 
flecting,  undisciplined  body  of  disciples  ? And  was  any 
man  in  the  world  at  that  time  more  tit  to  do  just  this  work 
of  edifying,  of  expanding  an  infant  church  into  a manly, 
noble,  earnest  body  of  believers,  from  which  in  a few  years 
plans  for  the  salvation  of  the  gentiles  would  shoot  forth 
on  every  side  ? That  Paul  could  have  done  good  in  this 
way  of  remaining  as  the  guardian  and  trainer  of  a church 
in  its  minority,  until  it  should  reach  perfect  manhood, 
we  cannot  doubt.  That  just  this  is  the  office  and  the 
most  worthy  otlice  of  thousands  of  Christ’s  ministers,  is 
equally  unquestionable.  How  then  shall  we  explain  the 
conduct  of  so  wise  a man  ? ^Yas  it  not  to  be  ascribed  to 
his  contidence  in  the  gospel  itself,  as  a seminal  principle 
in  a heart  and  in  a place, — that  the  Spirit  of  life  with  his 
charismata,  and  his  sanctifying  grace,  was  sure  to  attend 
on  the  opening  of  the  gospel  to  men  Avho  knew  it  not  be- 
fore? The  gospel  could  grow  up  even  among  weeds  in  this 
new  soil ; it  had  a reforming  and  a transforming  energy, 
and  so  he  could  leave  it — as  a general  may  leave  a cap 
tured  fortress  with  a feeble  garrison  in  his  rear,  because 
conquest,  onward  movement,  is  the  true  policy  for  the 
time,  rather  than  thorough  subjugation.  And  as  for  the 
man  of  strife  who  might  teach  his  disciples  to  suspect  him, 
to  question  his  doctrines,  his  noble  heart  could  say,  “ What 
then?  . . . everyway,  . . . Christ  is  preached,  and  1 theieiu 


is 

do  rejoice,  yea,  and  will  rejoice.”  Those  new  teachers 
agreed  with  him  more  than  they  differed  from  him  ; Christ 
was  the  common  fonndation  for  both  ; therefore,  though 
he  mi-ht  be  disappointed  and  perhaps  chagrined,  as  far  as 
he  and  his  relations  to  his  converts  were  concerned,  still 
he  felt  that  these  disciples,  should  they  forger  him,  need 
not  forget  Christ.  And  that  alone  was  ini[)ortant. 

Is  not,  now,  this  conduct  of  the  aiiostle  so  far  an  ex- 
ample to  us  as  to  guide  our  movements  in  regard  to  a 
cnoice  of  a field  for  our  missionary  work  ? It  is  of  small 
importance  for  the  kingdom  of  God  that  a mission  planted 
by  our  care  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  Presbyterians  or 
any  other  body  of  Protestant  Christians,  but  it  is  of  im- 
mense importance  that  as  fast  as  the  stream  of  settle- 
ments pours  westward,  so  fast  we  should  fill  up  a vacant 
place,  Avhere,  but  for  such  timely  help,  heathenism  would 
be  sure  to  enter.  If  we  could  do  nothing  but  act  as  pio- 
neers, like  our  forefathers,  at  the  beginning  of  the  cen- 
tury, we  should  then  prepare  the  way  for  other  bodies  of 
Christians  to  bring  their  mature  vigor,  and  increased 
means  to  the  aid  of  the  gospel.  Congregationalists  have 
not  been  apt  to  build  on  other  men’s  foundations:  their 
praise  has  been  to  have  begun  the  work  of  Evangelization, 
of  Home  Missions  and  of  Foreign  Missions,  in  soil  before 
untouched  and  neglected.  Perhaps  it  has  been  a fault  of 
the  members  of  our  churches  that  they  have  passed  so 
readily  into  other  denominations  ; but  if  it  be  a fault,  it 
is  one  leaning  towards  the  side  of  virtue.  It  grows  out 
of  the  im.ependence  of  the  individual,  and  out  of  that  clear 
comprehension  of  the  gospel  Avhich  separates  the  accidents 
from  the  essentials  of  Christianity.  In  this  Avay  they 
have  been  leavening  Christian  bodies  with  intelligence, 
freedom,  energy  ; and  have  shown  that  the  old  Puritan 
principles,  which  led  to  a separation  from  the  mother 
church  in  England,  can,  in  an  altered  state  of  things,  lead 
their  descendants  to  unite  with  other  churches,  Avherever 
the  pure  gospel  is  found.  It  is  not  fidelity,  then,  to  the 
genius  of  our  denomination  to  try  to  get  proselytes  from 


19 


abroad,  but  we  sliow  our  true  nature  when  we  fraternize 
with  Christians  wlio  have  already  oeeupied  the  soil.  So 
otlier  bodies  of  Christians  should  do  also,  in  plaees  where 
our  ehurehes  are  already  planted  ; but  whether  they  do  or 
not,  ought  no  more  to  intluenee  our  action  than  the  apostle 
Paul  ought  to  have  stopped  and  asked,  whether  those  who 
tried  to  supplant  him  would  have  been  glad  if  he  had  come 
to  build  on  their  foundations. 

The  proselyting  spirit  is  ever  an  c<lious  one,  and  it  is 
always  dangerous  to  the  interests  of  religion  in  those  who 
are  moved  by  it,  as  well  as  in  those  who  fall  under  their 
influence.  1 know  no  more  unlovely  feature  in  modern 
Christianity  than,  when  a Christian'  Society  has  sent  its 
ministers  to  a vacant  fleld  and  churches  are  begiuniug  to 
prosper,  for  another  sect  to  invade  the  field  on  the  plea  of 
sui)erior  right  to  lu-each  and  better  church  authority. 
Witness  that  iuterlopiug,  intrusive  attempt  in  the  Sand- 
w'ich  Islands,  after  the  news  of  the  conversion  of  a people 
hatl  gladdened  the  hearts  of  Christians  through  the  world. 
Was  it  not  a shameful  thing  that  there  came  thither  a dig- 
nitary of  a foreign  church,  expressly  to  take  advantage 
of  the  self-denials  of  those  who  had  proclaimed  the  word 
there  with  weeping,  to  reap  that  he  had  not  sown  and 
gather  that  he  had  not  strawed.  lie  might  indeed  say 
that  the  missionaries  did  not  come  from  a church,  but  only 
from  a sectarian  body.  As  between  Catholics  and  Protest- 
ants such  a plea  might  avail,  but  in  this  case  its  only 
strength  lay  in  a bigotry  which  was  more  unjustiflable  than 
that  which  in  Paul’s  days  required  obedience  to  the  Jewish 
rites  in  order  to  salvation. 

But  still  more  inexcusable  than  this  is  that  denomina- 
tional spirit  that  finds  a weak  church  planted  in  a western 
village,  and,  because  there  is  a handful  of  persons  who 
formerly  were  within  its  pale,  plants  another  weaker 
church  by  its  side,  to  compete  with  it  on  the  principles 
of  mercantile  rivalry,  and  to  be  counted  upon  the  registers 
of  the  denomination  as  an  addition  to  the  effective  force 
of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  I absolve  great  Christian  bod- 


20 


ies  from  acr?)e  blame  in  many  of  snch  cases.  The  blame 
is  i^enerally  dne  to  some  a,4ent  who  is  ont  of  notice.  Bnt 
let  all  Christian  bodies  who  believe  that  Christ’s  church  is 
not  confined  within  their  own  narrow  bounds,  set  up  a 
rule  in  such  cases,  that,  where  the  gospel  is  preached,  and 
there  is  a stated  ministry  adequate  for  the  present  wants 
of  the  place,  they  will  pass  that  ]>lace  by,  rejoicing  to  be 
able  to  go  beyond  it  and  spread  the  good  news  of  God  to 
others  more  in  need.  Let  Christians  be  told,  when  they 
go  as  emigrants  into  tiiiuly  settled  towns — where  probably 
there  will  be  persons  educated  in  half  a dozen  Protestant 
bodies — if  there  be  a church  there,  to  join  it  and  strengthen 
it  all  they  can  ; or  if  there  be  none,  to  unite  in  any  feasi- 
ble union  of  Christ’s  followers.  Who,  on  a desolate  coast, 
where  shipwrecked  voyagers  were  cast,  would  not  accept  of 
some  plan  of  government  unlike  that  of  his  own  choice, 
to  secure  justice  and  protect  social  interests,  until  some- 
thing more  permanent  could  grow  up  ? On  the  same  prin- 
ciple, for  the  preservation  of  the  spiritual  life,  ought  all 
to  concur,  with  the  largest  charity,  in  the  endeavor  to 
plant  a church  to  which  they  will  pledge  their  loyalty,  at 
least  until  the  time  when  more  than  one  strong  church 
would  not  be  superfluous. 

A desire,  like  the  apostle  Paul’s,  to  spread  the  gospel 
in  jdaces  as  yet  unreached  by  it,  meets  a pressing  want,  as 
all  must  admit,  in  this  country.  Nowhere  since  the  apos- 
tle’s daj^s  did  population  diffuse  itself  so  fast,  and  nowhere, 
probably,  since  the  beginning  of  the  world  did  such  a mix- 
ture of  races,  religions,  irreligious,  appear,  as  is  to  be  seen 
in  a vast  number  of  the  new  settlements.  The  assimila- 
tive power  of  our  institutions,  the  enlightening  influences 
of  our  system  of  schools,  the  fact  that  ditfei’ences  of  na- 
tionality and  language,  disappear  in  the  second  generation, 
owing  to  the  dispersion  of  foreigners, — these  causes  bring 
all  within  the  same  town  boundaries  into  a general  uni- 
formity of  life  and  thinking  on  all  subjects  except  religion. 
On  that  alone  men  differ  essentially,  and  it  is  an  honor  to 
our  nature  that  innocent  prejudices  partake  of  the  impor- 


21 


tance  of  this  j^reatost  ol  hiiniaii  interests.  But  in  the  case 
of  those  foreign  settlers,  when  they  Iiave  not  been  bent 
si(lewaJ^s  by  irreli^^ions  teaching  at  home,  there  is  much  to 
hope.  They  are  not  hardenetl  l>y  long  rejection  of  the 
gospel  ; they  have  often  a certain  confiding  simplicity  of 
character  ; old  habits  make  them  long  for  tlie  outward  forms, 
at  least,  of  the  gosj)el.  These  destitute  ones  next  to  the 
descendants  of  the  I’ilgrims  demand  our  care.  Whether 
our  denomination  with  its  thoughtfulness  and  precision  of 
dogmas,  its  want  of  forms,  its  inorganic  nature,  --whether 
. this  is  to  be  the  best  instrument  in  God’s  hands  to  bring 

the  emigrants  of  this  description  to  Christ,  may  be 
doubted.  liut  whatever  Protestant  body  is  best  adapted 
for  this  great  work,  may  it  kj\ow  its  calling,  and  fulfill  it ; 
may  it  liave  success;  may  it  have  the  strength  which  Avill 
atcemi  on  doing  such  a work  for  God  ! 

I have  full  confidence  that  tliis  Society,  which  now  may 
be  called  venerable,  and  has  had  for  a long  time  approved 
habits  of  action,  will  follow  in  substance  the  principles 
and  the  rule  of  tlie  apostle.  That  a spirit  of  sectarian 
proselytism  will  invade  it  and  the  churches  which  support 
it,  I cannot  believe.  Its  character,  as  a voluntary  Society, 
forbids  that  the  ecclesiastical  feeling — to  which  “ church 
boards  ” are  exi>osed — should  usurp  the  place  of  the  Chris- 
tian feeling.  There  may  be  evils  in  its  exclusively  volun- 
tary character,  and  there  are  some  who  would  mingle  with 
^ this  essential  element  a certain  amount  of  denominational 

control.  But  whatever  shall  be  attempted  in  this  direction 
will  be  oidy  to  bring  the  Society  into  nearer  relations  to 
the  churches,  to  make  them  feel  a nearer  interest  in  it  and 
a larger  responsibility  for  its  prosperity.  Hitherto  it  has 
been  blessed  and  a blessing.  Its  affairs  have  been  con- 
ducted wisely.  Its  general  principle  for  helping  those  fee- 
ble churches  which  help  themselves,  commends  itself  to 
all  and  is  justified  by  experience.  Its  missionaries,  as  a 
body,  are  devout,  self-denying,  intelligent  men,  who  ought 
to  be  held  in  all  honor.  Its  success  up  to  this  year  may  be 
gathered  from  the  following  brief  statement. 


22 


The  contributions  in  47  years  have  been  $0,547,150  ; the 
churches  organix“d,  about  3,501) ; the  stations  occupied, 
more  than  0,500 ; the  churches  raised  to  self-support, 
1,800;  the  number  admitted,  as  communicants,  into  the 
churches,  230,000, 

The  number  of  missionaries  commissioned  during  the 
present  year  is  950;  of  whom  312  have  labored  in  New 
England,  49  in  the  Middle, and  587  in  the  Western  States. 
The  additions  to  the  churches  have  been  5,725.  More  than 
74,000  pupils  have  been  taught  in  Sabbath  schools,  and 
2,145  congregations  have  been  supplied  with  the  ministry 
of  the  word. 

Have  we  not  reason  to  thank  God  for  such  a measure  of 
success,  and  to  take  courage  1 Ought  we  not  to  feel  that  so 
much  success  pledges  us  for  the  future,  and  makes  us  the 
more  guilty  if  we  do  not  fultill  our  trust  ? We  have  under- 
taken a work  to  be  measurednot  b \ years  but  by  generations, 
which  has  outlasted  the  lives  of  its  earliest  friends  and  its 
older  officers  —one  of  whom,  its  wise  and  excellent  senior 
Secretary  has  been  recently  removed  by  death, — but  which, 
if  our  churches  are  loyal  to  their  Divine  Master,  will  be 
imperishable  itself ; or  at  least  will  not  cease  until,  thi-ough 
the  whole  held  where  our  work  lies  churches  of  Christ, 
strong  and  self-supporting,  shall  have  no  further  need  of 
our  assistance. 


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